Serendipity (Thalassophile)

Forty-seven

Krislene, together with Vaughn and their parents are currently at the living room talking about her Sister. Isang linggo na kasi ang lumipas pero hindi pa rin umuuwi ang kapatid nyang si Kristene. Nag-aalala na ang kanilang mga magulang pati na rin si Vaughn pero sinisigurado ni Krislene sa kanilang mga magulang na safe naman ang kanyang kapatid. Panigurado syang inaalagaan ito ni Dylan.

"Is that okay with you mi Princesa?" Her Father asked her and she just shrugged her shoulder in response to her Father.

Kahit naman okay sa kanya o hindi, does it really matter? Because it looks like Dylan already chose her Sister over her.

Sa isang linggo na iyon, isang beses lang ito nagparamdam sa kanya. Dylan told her that he needs to sort things out first so he needs a couple of time to think of it thoroughly. But it's been days already. She can conclude that Dylan chooses her Sister over her.

Naalala nya tuloy ang nangyari ng gabing iyon, dahil hindi nya kinaya ang sakit, agad syang umalis at hindi na nya hinintay pa kung ano ang susunod na mangyayari sa dalawa. Hindi naman sya sukdulang masokista. Tanga siguro pwede pa.

Sa sobrang pagkatanga, pinipili nyang intindihin kahit na sobrang sakit na.

But she choose to be brave enough and not to cry about it. Hindi na yata nya kaya pang umiyak ng paulit-ulit, over the same fuckin' reason all over again.

Atleast, that's what she thought.

Because the moment her Sister arrives, everyone's eyes settled on Kristene and Dylan's intertwined hands.

And suddenly, she felt suffocated.

Ang akala nya, madali nang tanggapin sa kanya na pinili na ni Dylan ang kapatid nya. Pero yung ganitong makikita pa nya? Masakit pa rin pala.

Sobra.

And because of the pain she's feeling inside, she choose to look down and make herself busy with her phone. Kahit ang ginagawa lang naman nya, mag-scroll ng mag-scroll sa social media account nya.

Wala na rin syang balak pang marinig kung ano ang pinag-uusapan ng kanyang mga magulang at kapatid. Quota na sya eh.

Nagawa lang nyang magpakawala ng malalim na hininga nang mawala sa harapan nila ang dalawang nagpapasakit sa puso nya.

But still, her Father is persistent and wants an answer from her.

"Ang akala ko ba boyfriend mo si Dylan anak?"

She gave her Father a fake smile, "Dad, huli ka na sa balita. Break na kami." Though not formally pero doon din naman ang patutunguhan noon.

"Just like that?" It was her Mother who spoke, who looks so surprised. "I mean, ex ka tapos naging sila kaagad ng Ate mo?"

Again, she shrugged her shoulder in response. Wala naman syang maisasagot eh.

"Gago eh." It was Vaughn who spoke. And when she looked at him, he looks pissed, clenching his jaw from time to time. "Napaka-gago."

Her Father sighed, "You know I'm confused. Really fucking confused Princess. I can see that Kingsley is a good man. Nakita naman natin kung paano nya inalagaan si Kristene ng ilang taon. I also saw how much he loves you mi Princesa. Paanong sa Ate mo sya napunta bigla?"

"I also don't know Dad. Maybe I'm not enough. Or rather, I'm not Ate K. Alam nyo naman na si Ate K ang mahal nya noon diba?"

"But still—"

"Tío." Vaughn spoke cutting her Father off. "Let's not talk about them for now. Can we?"

Napatingin sya sa kanyang kapatid at nginitian nya ito ng tipid. Isang ngiti na naglalaman ng pasasalamat dahil sa totoo lang, sobrang sakit na. Ayaw naman nyang umiyak sa harapan ng magulang nya.